Just when I thought this blog couldn’t get any better, I see Maggie Cheung on it. She was my first, for lack of a better term, “style icon.” Flipping through one of my mom’s HK celebrity rags almost 15 years ago, I saw a picture of her in heels, black trouser socks, and a blue pin-dot skirt. It was such a weird outfit, I fell in love. All these years later, she’s still got it.

The girl in the middle is magnificent! Love the simple but luxurious top, the elaborate skirt, and how the whole ensemble is tied together by the darkness of her tights– all against the whiteness of her skin. Awesome, dramatic, beautiful!

As a naturally skinny man, I don’t have a problem with skinniness per se, but when one sees a person and suspects them of having spent most of their recent life hungry, I do think it detracts from their beauty.

Thank you for this picture of Maggie. She is consistently elegant. If you haven’t seen it already you should check out In the Mood for Love; the slow-motion scenes are very reminiscent of your photography.

All the ladies do look lovely but they are so ridiculously groomed, posed and immaculate that my impression is that they completely lack individuality. Being slightly imperfect makes us individual, different, well, human…

It’s interesting looking at these beautiful people in this beautiful store and then remembering that they live in a country with a repressive government that does away with people without due process & other human rights violations. I had friends who lived in Beijing for a long time and the contrast between their life of wealth and ease and the government was interesting. They had maids and cooks and beautiful homes, but when they went to church there were government agents watching (some known, some trying to be unknown) and they didn’t go to church with one native Chinese person. They could travel freely, but certain emails would never reach the U.S & they mailed really mundane letters because they knew they would be read. There were many other like contrasts. It’s just interesting to think about, not trying to put a damper on your blog!

it’s awful to think that some people are allowing these actresses’ natural thinness detract from their amazing sense of style. people always need something to complain about, and now that it’s not the lack of white people in fashion, it’s the thinness of these asian women, who by nature have a MUCH smaller frame than american women do.

Gorgeous!Just a note to some of the comments on this post – certainly, it’s important to not condone overt-skinniness in fashion media. As a curvier girl myself, I’m all for it! But its also very true to say that most Asian girls (who live in Asia) are very skinny or petite, quite naturally. It has a lot to do with their diets and genetics – an Asian diet doesn’t contain as much meat and dairy as a Western diet. I’m an Asian girl who was brought up in Australia, and can see the noticable difference in girls sizes whenever I visit Tokyo, Singapore, KL… the majority of girls are naturally slim… as was my mother and aunts before me.Sart, I’m so glad you came round to this side of the globe – the big Asian cities have so much to offer, fashion-wise, and its fantastic to see it on your blog.

I agree that they do look ‘stylishly fabulous’. However it is all quite similar. Black black black against white skin.

Further I am definitely in agreement about so many women in particular being super thin. Some other blogs are worse: showing ‘on the street fashion’ which is actually just models outside fashion shows! Anyway, my point is (yes I have one), I look forward perhaps to some regualar sized people who simply show creativity and personality in their attire rather than style on a hungry beauty.

wow, ppl seem to be blown away by the fashionistas in these shots, maggie this, jennifer that. i think they are all so boring. sartorial maybe in their expensive outfits, but all very stagey and salon. maybe i like the street shots more, where interesting textures and shapes in the shots work to engage your eye with the body/clothing combos

The reason these ladies were so immaculately dressed was because they were there for a special event. They probably arrived in a limo straight from their hotel rooms.

Also it is not uncommon for celebrities and models (in China as well as the US) to be PAID to attend these functions. That’s not say they were paid but I won’t be surprised if they were. It gives the press something interesting to photograph and talk about.

To Thomas at 11:22 AM, although it is possible that the women in the pictures have been starving themselves to be thin, you should also keep in mind that many Asian women are just naturally thinner. There are of course exceptions to this (and I am one of them) but in general, most of my Asian friends eat a lot, eat healthily, and never have to worry about their weight.

I’m always happy with your blog but today I was especially pleased with your Lane Crawford post. Besides the fact that Lane Crawford is a wonderful department store, I was glad to see more pictures of Asian people this time round. One of the great things about your post is that you aren’t racially biased with your pictures. Keep up the good work!

OK, correction, Jennifer Woo is 30..not 28. I read an article in TIME magazine 2 years ago saying she was 28. So that makes her 30 now. (yes, still young.) Anyway, to those who are complaining about how thin these women are…Asian women tend to be really slim (no hips, butts or breasts) and they do eat. I’m Asian, and am not considered slim/petite by Asian standards. At 5’5/120lbs, I am considered big-boned. I have been told that I have a “very European build”, and a very “typical American body”. A friend from HK actually thinks I’m fat/chubby/whatever. Go figure. Pun intended.

I’m glad people have been coming to the defense of the Asian women in these pictures because yes – they DO tend to be naturally thinner and not necessarily starving themselves either. Call it lucky or what not, but that’s just the way it is. Some people like to complain about anything – just enjoy the style!

Maggie Cheung has got this ethereal quality about her. Her face is so distinctive and everything she wears just adds to that ooomph that’s already there. Beautiful pictures, great lighting.

Jennifer Woo – not your usual daddy’s girl – she definitely put her own mark on the business. All the power to her and great style too. Great post Sart!

This is my favorite post! I love the black outfits and the lighting is amazing! Just beacuse it’s black does not mean it’s boring and these women definitely bring something unique to the clothes they’re wearing. Thank you for featuring these lovely Asian women, as well as hilighting that pale skin can also be as beautiful as having a tan.

Hi Scott! I have switched from referring to you as “Sart” to using your real name, now that I watched your abc video and feel like I know you even better. Anyway, I have really loved seeing your posts and pix from the Far East. As a Chinese-American female who has seen little representation of asian females (relative to other cultures) in the fashion & style industry, I feel more hope and rejuvenation that you are finding that cutting-edge style DOES exist amongst the chinese population! Please keep it up!

Oh yeah – one more thing – that’s SO cool that Landis Smith read and commented on your blog too! I didn’t know him before, but I just think it very cool to be reading and commenting right alongside CDs of retail and fashion.

well, get a life,Girl spy. u r so judgemental. stop judging other cultures by resorting soley to your own standard. deeply inside of me i believed that politics should definitely stay out of fashion. tks a lot for having you to point it out that bias is just everywhere and never dies

—————–Girl Spy says… It’s interesting looking at these beautiful people in this beautiful store and then remembering that they live in a country with a repressive government that does away with people without due process & other human rights violations. I had friends who lived in Beijing for a long time and the contrast between their life of wealth and ease and the government was interesting. They had maids and cooks and beautiful homes, but when they went to church there were government agents watching (some known, some trying to be unknown) and they didn’t go to church with one native Chinese person. They could travel freely, but certain emails would never reach the U.S & they mailed really mundane letters because they knew they would be read. There were many other like contrasts. It’s just interesting to think about, not trying to put a damper on your blog!

oh please – it’s ridiculous to think that this thinness is natural. asian countries collectively have THE highest rate of eating disorders in the world, with japan surpassing venezuela in the past few years as the worst, trumping all other countries as the place with the most anorexics. the same is happening in china and korea. the cultural norms that define gender in these countries are far behind the rapid modernization and as such, women are still viewed as little more than objects and thus judged only on appearances.

there is a difference between thinness and natural build. it is inexplicably frustrating to see that so many uninformed people assume that asian people are all naturally thin when in actuality, we are starving.

Get a life people!! Accept the fact that Asians generally have smaller bone structure than others!! And that’s why they are thinner than you(people who keep commenting on people’s weight)I’m naturally skinny too. And I can eat more than any other Americans that I know. Some people just don’t have to worry about their weight and can stay as skinny as they want! So, get over it!

Just enjoy the pictures for god’s sake!!! Those girls just look absoultely gorgeous to me…. Love their styles…..

I love Jennifer Woo’s shoes…the pink sole is such an amazing detail. It’s neither a high hem nor naughty neckline that makes a woman magnificient. These shoes surprise admirers every time their wearer crosses her legs (an inherently feminine posture) and compels him to wonder what other secrets she may be hiding. Subtle sexy…love it!

WOW… All the outfits are absolutely gorgeous!!! Emma Pei’s definitely stands out, so simple and girly! My least favourite outfit would be Du Juan’s but then again I would not be complainin if that outfit was on me so..

Maggie Cheung, oh, my goodness! U met the it lady.Pls keep on doing it…As I know she has settled in Beijing. But she still is a cosmopolitan, for Beijing is one of the cities she lives (aside from the old-new vivid Beijing, there are Paris, London and Hong Kong)Is it too late for me to post?